Transfer medium



D. A. .NEWMAN TRANSFER MEDIUM May 23, 1950 Filed Jan. 13, 1945 BY \p QM. l

INVENTOR fioaylas A. Mal/man ATTORNEYS Patented May 23, 1950 TRANSFER MEDIUM Douglas A. Newman, Port Washington, N. Y., assignor to Columbia Ribbon and Carbon Manufacturing Company, Inc., Glen Cove, N. Y., a

corporation of New York Application January 13, 1945, Serial No. 572,698

9 Claims.

This invention relates to transfer sheets and to the method of making the same.

Such sheets have a suitable foundation carrying a pigmented coating and are used sometimes to transfer inscriptions or images made on or over them to another sheet, as, for instance, in making carbon" copies, or hectograph mastersheets for subsequent transfer to a gelatine sheet or blank or directly to a printing sheet if the spirit method of duplication is to be used. For sharp clear impressions, it has been found that the more homogeneous the foundation sheet and the smoother the coated surface the better the results. Sheets molded or formed of plastic compounds have these desired characteristics.

In some cases, the transfer sheet is to be used as a slide or transparency for transferring by light rays the inscriptions or images thereon to a screen. In the latter case, the body or foundation of the sheet should be as transparent as possible. Here again, sheets molded o formed of plastic compounds, which may be transparent or translucent, of which cellulose-acetate sheets and cellophane are examples, are ideally suitable. 1

It is a desideratum that coating on the sheet be loose-bonded so that substantially all of the pigmented coating is transferable to the master sheet if for hectography, or from the transfer sheet if it is to be used as a transparency. Yet, for either use, the coating should cling to the sheet against cracking or flaking off in ordinary handling or flexing, and should only transfer under the pressure forming the images or inscriptions.

The difficulties of meeting these contrary requirements have been aggravated by the smoothness and lack of tooth of the preferred foundation of such sheet, 1. e., cellophane.

These difiiculties have been overcome by the present invention by providing between the sheet of cellophane and the pigmented transferable coating, a bonding coating which has the ability to adhere to the smooth-surfaced, substantially non-impregnable plastic-body sheet and at the same time itself provide a moderately toothed surface to which the transfer-able coating may cling until, by the application of pressure, as in writing, drawing with a stylus, typewriting or printing from type, it is forcibly transferred to another medium.

By varying the composition of the bonding coating, its tenacity for the pigmented coating may be varied so that varying degrees of pressure are required to transfer it from the bonding coating.

Preferably, however, the bonding coating has greater affinity for, or adhesion to, the cellophane surface than to the pigmented coating, so that it may be left behind on the foundation when the ink is transferred. When the foundation is to be used as a transparency, it is preferable that the bonding coating itself be transparent, or at least translucent, and it may be colorless. However, if the projected image is to be in colored light, the bonding coating, according to the present invention, may be tinted for that purpose.

At present, it is advantageous to use, as a bonding layer, a coating including a Vinylite resin of the polyvinyl butyral series, for it has been found that this is highly receptive to ink and carbon coatings, is non-absorptive of, and insoluble by, the hot or molten ink and carbon coating compositions. Other suitable bonding coatings may, however, be used Within the spirit of this invention.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a view of the transfer sheet of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a view of a portion of the transfer sheet showing the clear places left when the pigmented coating is transferred therefrom to another medium.

Fig. 3 is a magnified sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a magnified sectional view of a portion of the transfer sheet of the present invention, showing in approximate proportion the relative thickness of the foundation, the bonding coating, and the transferable coating.

Fig. 5 is a view of the transfer sheet of the present invention as made and used in the form of a continuous strip or ribbon.

The foundation ID of the transfer sheet of the present invention is molded or formed of a solidified resin, synthetic resin, or other similar or substitute material, to be substantially homogeneous, smooth-surfaced, and substantially nonporous, and which will, in sheets of such thicknesses as are practically employed for the purposes herein intended, be tough, strong, flexible and non-plastic at temperatures in which it may be used. By way of example, it may be mentioned that cellulose acetate sheets and the product commercially known as cellophane have such properties and have been satisfactorily used in practicing this invention.

Because it is substantially non-absorptive and smooth-surfaced, such a foundation, when coated with a transferable pigmented coating, must be handled with extreme care both in manufacture and before and during its use, because the coating adheres to the smooth surface of the foundation with so little tenacity that the slightest abrading or rubbing action or pressure on the sheet will causethe. coating tobe transferred off the sheet either: onto the surface causing the transfer, or to an adjacent medium; also, in use, the flexing of the sheet, such as caused by intro:

ducing it to and wrapping it around the platen of a typewriter, causes the pigmented coating to check or flake off.

The voids produced by thescratched or'flakedoff portions of the coating, .if coinciding withimpressions or inscriptions desired to be made, re-- suit in faulty and unsatisfactory images being produced on the master sheet'a'ndreproduced onthe worksheets. If, while the master sheet-andtransfer sheet are against each other, for instance while being assembled, introduced to the platen, fed around the same; or removed from the typewriter, the particles of. the transferable coating are'flaked' oil, itis'probablethat they will lodge upon the master sheet and'bereproduced onthe worksheet .as objectionable, or to say the least, undesirable background;

To overcome these difficulties, the presentinvention provides on the surface of the foundation l0 which is to be coated, a coating or layer H which will adhereor cohere to the smooth surface. of. the. foundation vanditself provide. a surface having sufficient toothto anchor. and hold the pigmented transferable coating.

After thebondingcoating H hasbeen applied to the foundation. In, the stripis coated with mo1ten,. or atleast hot, transfer ink to produce the transferable coating l2 which adheres to the toothed surface of the bondingcoating with sufficient tenacity to remain attached innormal handling anduse andyetbe substantially all transferred to a master sheet against which the coating is placed upon the application-of printing or writing pressure. By varying. the composition 4 pigmented coating I2 transfers and adheres to the master sheet to be yielded up to the gelatine pad or blanket or directly to the worksheets if used in a spirit duplicator.

It has been found that a foundation .002 inch thick,,and bonding coating, .002.inch.thick, and

a pigmented coating .003 inch thick give excellent results. These dimensions are given by way of example and are not to be construed as limiting the invention in any way whatsoever.

The product of the present invention may be used in the form of asheet as shown in Fig. 1, or

. as a continuous strip or ribbon 13 as shown in Fig.5}.

Variations. and modifications may be made within the scope of this invention and portions oftl'ie lmprovement's may be used without others.

of the bonding coating, the adhesion of the transfer coating thereto may beincreased to a point where only a. predetermined amount of pressurewill causeit to transfer.

It has been found that excellent results are obtained when the bonding coating comprises a vinylite resin of the polyvinyl butyral series, a solvent and plasticizer; for the coating formed thereby is flexible. and toughand adheres firmly to the foundation; and provides the desired amount of. toothed surface; for receiving the transfer ink coating. It'isstable and not'soluble in the molten or hot wax or oil of thetransfer ink.

If desired, a small amount of: filler may be added to the coating compound: to. provide greater tooth to: the: coating for obtaining greater" adhesion. of the transfer material to the bonding coating, especially: when the transfer material is hectographic: ink; Fillers such as colloidal clay, barium. sulphate;'. and titanoxhave beensatisfactory.

When the. transfer.- sheet is to: be: used as: a transparency to..light ray projection, the fillers should be dispensed with, and. lf1it is. desired to have the imageappear in'colored' light, a dye or other" coloring material may be'incorporated in the bonding coating l l As stated above, theaffinity ofthe bonding coating H for the foundation I0 is greater than its; aflinity for"the transferable coating, and hence, when the transfer takes place; the coat- Iclaim:

1. A transfer element comprising a foundation of homogeneous fiexiblematerial having a smooth non-porous working surface; a bonding coating tenaciously adheringto saidworkingsurfa'ce; and a-pi'gmented coatingconsisting essentially of high melting point wax,,oil$ and coloring matter re.- leasably adheringto said bonding coating; the adhesion between the-pigmented coating and the bonding coating being such as to permit the former to transfer substantially entirely to another medium under printing or writing pressure, and the-adhesionbetween the bondingcoating-and the foundation being such that the bond.- ing coating remains on the foundation upon printing or writing pressure-causing transfer of the pigmented coating, said'bonding coating consistingessentially of-a resinous'material which is substantially insoluble-in the hot oil and wax of the pigmented coating when molten.

2; A transfer element comprising a foundation of thin; light, tough, flexible; homogeneous, translucent material having a" smooth non-porous working surface; a thin, flexible bonding coating tenaciously adhering tosaid working surface; anda pigmented-coating consisting essentially of high melting point wax; oils and" coloring matter releasably adhering to said bonding coating, the adhesion between thepigmented coating-and the bonding coating being such as to permit the former to transfer substantially entirely to another medium under-printing or-writing pressure. and the adhesion between' the bonding coating and the foundation-being" such that the bonding coating remains on' the foundation upon printing or writing pressure causingtransfer of the pigmentedcoating; said bondingcoating consisting essentially of a translucent resinous material which is substantiallyinsoluble in the'hot' oil and wax of the pigmentedcoating when molten.

3. A transfer sheet or-strip comprising a foundation of thin cellulosic film, a thin flexible'bonding coating of vinylite resin tenaciously adhering to the workingsurface of the foundation, and'a pigmented transfer coating releasably adhering to said-bonding coating, the adhesionbetween the pigmented coating and the bondingcoating being such' as to permit the former to transfer substantially entirely to another medium under print ing-orwriting pressure; and'the adhesion between the-bonding coating and foundation being such that the-bondingcoating remains on the foundation upon printlngor writing pressure causing transfer of the pigmented coating.

' 4. A transfer sheet or-strip comprising a foundation of thin cellulosic film, a thiriflexible bonding coating of-vinyliteresin tenaciously adhering to-the'working surface of "the foundation, and a ing- H remains-behindon .the=foundation and the 'TI transferable high melting point wax, pigmented coating releasably adhering to said bonding coating, the adhesion between the pigmented coating and the bonding coating being such as to permit the former to transfer substantially entirely to another medium under printing or writing pressure, and the adhesion between the bonding coating and the foundation being such that the bonding coating remains on the foundation upon printing or writing pressure causing transfer of the pigmented coating.

5. A transfer sheet or strip comprising a foundation of thin cellulosic film, a thin flexible bonding coating of a solidified polyvinal butyral compound tenaciously adhering to the working surface of the foundation, and a pigmented transfer coating releasably adhering to said bonding coating, the adhesion between the pigmented coating and the bonding coating being such as to permit the former to transfer substantially entirely to another medium under printing or writing pressure, and the adhesion between the bonding coating and foundation being such that the bonding coating remains on the foundation upon printing or writing pressure causing transfer of the pigmented coating.

6. A transfer sheet or strip comprising a foundation of thin cellulosic film, a thin flexible bonding coating of a solidified polyvinal butyral compound including a filler tenaciously adhering to the working surface of the foundation, and a pigmented transfer coating releasably adhering to said bonding coating, the adhesion between the pigmented coating and the bonding coating being such as to permit the former to transfer substantially entirely to another medium under printing or writing pressure, and the adhesion between ciously adhering to the working surface of the V foundation, and a pigmented transfer coating releasably adhering to said bonding coating, the adhesion between the pigmented coating and the bonding coating being such as to permit the former to transfer substantially entirely to another medium under printing or writing pressure,

and the adhesion between the bonding coating and the foundation being such that the bonding coating remains on the foundation upon printing or writing pressure causing transfer of the pigmented coating.

8. A transfer sheet or strip comprising a foundation of homogeneous flexible material having a smooth non-porous working surface, a thin flexible bonding coating of vinylite resin tenaciously adhering to the working surface of the foundation, and a transferable layer having a high melting point, pigmented wax coating releasably adhering to said bonding coating, the adhesion between the pigmcnted coating and the bonding coating being such as to permit the former to transfer substantially entirely to another medium under printing or writing pressure, and the adhesion between the bonding coating and the foundation being such that the bonding coating remains on the foundation upon printing or writing pressure causing transfer of the pigmented coating.

9. A transfer sheet or strip comprising a foundation of homogeneous flexible material having a smooth non-porous working surface, a thin flexible bonding coating of a solidified polyvinal butyral compound tenaciously adhering to the working surface of the foundation, and a transferable layer having a high melting point, pigmented wax coating releasably adhering to said bonding coating, the adhesion between the pigmented coating and the bonding coating being such as to permit the former to transfer substantially entirely to another medium under printing or writing pressure, and the adhesion between the bonding coating and the foundation being such that the bonding coating remains on the foundation upon printing or writing pressure causing transfer of the pigmented coating.

DOUGLAS A. NEWMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,925,235 Dixon Sept. 5, 1933 1,929,601 Miner Oct. 10, 1933 2,357,948 Gessler et a1. Sept. 12, 1944 2,372,209 Kohler Mar. 27, 1945 

